01-22-2004, 11:54 PM
Here's my two cents worth: You need to decide what your priority is. Your priority will depend on many factors. But, as was mentioned earlier, there is no single ideal boat for every situation. You will have to accept some trade-offs.
Here are some things to consider:
1. Sometimes small boats don't do well on big waters. If you fish big waters you need either a big boat or a fast small boat and a good eye for the weather.
2. Do like trolling, jigging, or bait fishing? If you like trolling you should probably have a dedicated trolling motor and therefore the transom will need to accomodate one. If you jig a lot then the bow should accomodate an electric motor. If you bait fish, heck, it just needs to float.
3. Will you be pulling skiers with the boat? If so, forget the small aluminum boats. Also realize that fishing from a ski boat can be a pain because generally they are not set up well for fishing and you will justt tear it up.(Fish blood on the seats, hooks, etc.)
4. Think about comfort. I had one boat that had seats with nice backs on them. You could fish(trolling) all day in comfort. I had another with just bench seats and in a few hours my back would be killing me.
5. How many people are you going to take. More people means a bigger boat. I hated being all cramped up with people and gear. It was a nightmare if you couldn't walk around.
6. Taking kids? I like a boat with high sides. You are asking for trouble with young kids on a bass boat.
7. What kind of truck or car do you have to pull it with? Launch ramps are steep. So are some of the mountain roads.
7. Here's the big one, COST? My opinion, based on experience, is that you should get the best boat you can afford. By best I mean in the best shape. I would even sacrifice a few features in favor of dependability. I can tell you that it is no fun to be constantly putting time and money into an old boat that is nearly always broken. You want to fish, not become a boat mechanic. And safety is a huge factor too because you don't want to get stranded in a tight spot.
Hope this helps.
m
[signature]
Here are some things to consider:
1. Sometimes small boats don't do well on big waters. If you fish big waters you need either a big boat or a fast small boat and a good eye for the weather.
2. Do like trolling, jigging, or bait fishing? If you like trolling you should probably have a dedicated trolling motor and therefore the transom will need to accomodate one. If you jig a lot then the bow should accomodate an electric motor. If you bait fish, heck, it just needs to float.
3. Will you be pulling skiers with the boat? If so, forget the small aluminum boats. Also realize that fishing from a ski boat can be a pain because generally they are not set up well for fishing and you will justt tear it up.(Fish blood on the seats, hooks, etc.)
4. Think about comfort. I had one boat that had seats with nice backs on them. You could fish(trolling) all day in comfort. I had another with just bench seats and in a few hours my back would be killing me.
5. How many people are you going to take. More people means a bigger boat. I hated being all cramped up with people and gear. It was a nightmare if you couldn't walk around.
6. Taking kids? I like a boat with high sides. You are asking for trouble with young kids on a bass boat.
7. What kind of truck or car do you have to pull it with? Launch ramps are steep. So are some of the mountain roads.
7. Here's the big one, COST? My opinion, based on experience, is that you should get the best boat you can afford. By best I mean in the best shape. I would even sacrifice a few features in favor of dependability. I can tell you that it is no fun to be constantly putting time and money into an old boat that is nearly always broken. You want to fish, not become a boat mechanic. And safety is a huge factor too because you don't want to get stranded in a tight spot.
Hope this helps.
m
[signature]